Sheet-glass-drawing mechanism



allay 24, 1923- amzws T. S. OWENS SHEET GLASS DRAWING MECHANISM Filed March 5. 1920 IN hl iiiiiiflliiiiliiiiliiiilii mum;

Patented daily 24 1923..

UNHT'E STATES @FFMZE.

THOMAS S. OWENS, F TQLEJDO, @Elllfl.

SHEET-GLASS-DRAWING MECHANISM.

Application filed March 5, 1920. Serial in. season.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THoMAs S. Ownns, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Uhio, have made an Invention Appertaining to Sheet-Glass-Drawing Mecha- 1 nism; and l[ do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to sheet glass drawing mechanism, and particularly to sheet flattening means for use in connection therewith.

The object of the invention is the provision in a mechanism of the class described, of a flattening table or means over which the glass sheet being drawn passes and by which it is supported and flattened while in a soft pliant or workable condition, the table or means being movable relative to the sheet and having a sheet coacting surface of a suitable material to prevent adherence of the soft coacting surface of the glass passing thereover.

The invention is fully described in the following specification, and while, in its broader aspect, it is capable of embodiment in numerous forms, a preferred embodiment thereof is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in WlllCl1,-+

Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a mechanism embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the sheet flattening means thereof. Fig. 3 is a vertical central longitudinal fragmentary section of an apparatus embodying the invention. and Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section of one of the sheet supporting slide plates.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a tank containing molten glass from which the sheet is drawn, the glass being supplied to the table from a communicating furnace 2, or from any other suitable source.

The drawing chamber 3 of the illustrated apparatus has opposite side walls 4, 4 and is oblong in a horizontal plane with one end portion disposed over the tank 1 in communication therewith and' with its opposite end joining and opening into a leer, as is customary with apparatus of this character and as is well understood in the art.

The sheet 5, which is drawn from the molten glass in the tank 1, in the present instance, 1s shown as extending upward a distance into the drawing chamber 5 from the tank 1 and then passes over a bending roll 6, or other suitable guiding means, by which its course is changed to a horizontal or substantially so, the sheet then passing 'lengthwise through the chamber and into and through the adjoining leer.

While the sheet may be drawn by any suitable means, such means preferably comprises two sets of opposed upper and lower edge gripping belts 7, 7 of the endless type. These belts are disposed within the chamber 3 1n spaced relation to the guiding means 6 with a set in gripping relation to each edge of the sheet.

The sheet flattening table or means in which the invention particularly resides, is d sposed between the bending means 6 and the drawing means and serves not only to support but to flatten the sheet 5 while in a soft condition and during its passage 0 from the guiding means to the drawing means.

The flattening means employed preferably comprises a plurality of long slide plates 8 of metal arranged in parallel relation transversely of the sheet and mounted in position to pass under and support the sheet between the guiding means and drawing means and to have transverse reciprocatory movements relative thereto. These plates, in the present instance, are mounted for move ment on a stationary table or plate 9, which extends under the sheet 5 adjacent to the guiding means 6 and has its ends extended through openings in the side walls 4% of the drawing chamber and a distance beyond the same. If a plurality of slide plates orpanela 8 are provided, as in the present instance, the stationary guide table 9 is preferably provided len hwise thereof with parallel slideways 10 In which the respective plates reciprocate. The slide plates 8 are of sufi cient length and have sufiicient movement so that substantially one-half of the length thereof is exposed without one edge of the sheet, while the other half is disposed thereunder in su porting relation thereto. The opposite end of the slide plates are cooled by the discharge of water thereon from a superposed discharge pipe 17.

In order that the plates may be prevented from adhering or sticking to the soft glass sheet drawn thereover, the top surface of each plate is coated with a paste composition like or similar to that commonly used to coat the inner surfaces of metal molds used for shaping glass articles. One form of this paste which is used quite extensively in lass shaping molds is composed of one gal on of linseed oil, one pound of white shoemaker wax and five ounces of resin, mixed together and boiled. This mixture forms a gluey substance which is applied to the surface of the plates and finely ground sawdust and cork is then sprinkled thereover. The purpose of the paste is to hold the sawdust and cork. There are, however, many other forms of paste used in the glass working art, and while I have particularly described the ingredients of one form of such paste, it will be understood that I am not limited to the use on the slide plates of any particular paste or coacting material. The coating of the metal plates with such paste material not only prevents the glass sheet from adhering thereto, but also imparts a smooth polishing surface to the plates which has a smoothing action on the glass surface with which it coacts, thereby tending to smooth out or eliminate any mars or irregularities on the sheet imparted thereto by the bending roll or in any other manner.

The plates 8 at one end are tied together by a cross-piece 11, which is screwed or otherwise suitably secured to each, and this cross-piece is connected by a pitman or connecting rod 12 to a horizontally revoluble crank-arm 13. This crank-arm is carried by a vertical shaft 14, which receives its power from a drive shaft 15 in worm and wormwheel connection 16 therewith. The drive shaft 15 may be connected to any suitable source of power.

The plates 8 may be easily and quickly removed from the supporting table 9 for the purpose of repair or to enable freshly paste coated plates to be substituted therefor. In practice the paste on the lates burns and wears off in time and nee s to be replaced. The life of a paste coating on the plates depends largel on the conditions of use, in some cases't e coating might need replacing after a days run and in other cases it would last considerably longer. The condition of the coated surfaces of the plates can be easily determined by watching the same while in' use and also by the action of the lates on the sheet.

In tl ie operation of my sheet flattening and supporting means the flat-tening plates are preferably continually moved backward and forward under the sheet at a slow speed.

I wish it understood that my invention is not limited to any specific construction, arrangement or form 0 the parts, as it is capable of numerous modifications and changes without departing from thespirit of the claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is,-

1. In a sheet glass drawing mechanism a movable sheet flattening means having a paste surface to prevent adherence of a soft sheet thereto, mechanism for reciprocatin said means in contact with the sheet being rawn, and means for applying a cooling fluid to the surfaces of the flattening means.

2. In a sheet glass drawing mechanism, a drawing chamber, means for guiding and drawing glass in' sheet form vertically a distance from a source of supply and then horizontally in said chamber, guide means below a horizontal soft portion of the sheet, metal plates movable transversely of the sheet in flattening contact therewith and guided for movement by said guide means, said plates having removable paste surfaces in contact withv the sheet, and means for moving the plate.

3. In a sheet glass drawing mechanism, the combination with a bending roll over which the glass is drawn in sheet form, of a flattening device disposed to act on a surface of the glass after it passes the. bending roll, said flattening device comprising a guide table extending transversely of the sheet in spaced relation thereto and extending at its ends beyond the side edges of the sheet, flattening members mounted on the table for movements lengthwise thereof transversely of the sheet and in contact with the sheeti'means for reciprocating the members lengthwise of the guide table, and means for applying a cooling fluid to the sheet coacting surface of the flattening members with the opposite edges of the sheet.

4. In a sheet glass drawing mechanism, a chamber through which glass is drawn in sheet form, means in supporting contact with a soft portion of the sheet and having a member movable transversely of the sheet and through the side walls of the chamber, and means for imparting reciprocating movements to the movable memberof said supporting means.

5. In a sheet glass drawing mechanism, a chamber through which glass is drawn in sheet form, a table disposed at one side of a soft portion of the sheet and extending transversely thereof and through and beyond each side wall of the chamber, a sheet flattening member guided by'the table for movements transversely of the sheet in flattening contact with a surface thereof and being of a length for one end portion to extend without a side of the chamber when another end portion thereof is disposed in re soft portion of the s :i eaeee rubbing contact with the ear-face of e sheet, means Without the chamber for imparti w reciprocetory movements to the member, an means for cooling "each end portion of the flattening member when disposed without e respective side of the chamber.

6. In a sheet glass drawing mechanism, a chamber through which glass paeeee in sheet form, means in sup rting conteet with the i eet and havin e member movable transversely of the s eet, and

through the side wells of the chamber, means Without the chamber for imparting reciprocatin movements to the movable member of t e suporting means and means for applying a 000 ing fluid to the sheet coacting surface of the member Without the side edges of the sheet.

In. testimony whereof I hove hereunto signed my name to this specification.

. THUMAS S. OWENS. 

